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I spent the majority of 2019 doing a no-spending challenge, which included buying no new clothes. Combined with a lot of KonMari decluttering, my wardrobe turned into a capsule wardrobe by default. I can’t claim that every single piece in it sparks joy (I would have 10 pieces left if I decluttered everything). As 2020 approaches, and my no-spending challenge coming to an (almost successful) end, I am thinking about how to rebuild a new closet. My plan is to buy mainly neutral colors and to slowly transition away from fast fashion brands, and instead choose to buy from ethically made manufacturers, and maybe sprinkle in a few luxury investment pieces. I promise to write about my year long no spending challenge soon, but for now I wanted to share with you the accounts I have been following along for inspiration for my dream 2020 capsule wardrobe closet.

“The term capsule wardrobe was coined by Susie Faux, owner of the West End boutique “Wardrobe”, in the 1970s to refer to a collection of essential items of clothing that would not go out of fashion, and therefore could be worn for multiple seasons. The aim was to update this collection with seasonal pieces to provide something to wear for any occasion without buying many new items of clothing” – Wikipedia

A post shared by Caroline Joy (@caroline_joy) on May 22, 2019 at 12:51pm PDT

When I think of a capsule wardrobe, I think of neutral, high quality and versatile pieces. Caroline bring this #beigelife to a new level! Her blog Unfancy was born in 2014, with an experiment to live with a small closet of 37 pieces throughout an entire year. Today, she no longer limits herself to a set number, but the experiment has helped her discover her personal style and become a more mindful fashionista. If you are thinking of trying out a capsule wardrobe challenge this fall, you will find Caroline’s 10×10 season guides quite useful (10 Days, 10 items, 10 outfits)!

I can really connect with Emily’s story. Like me, she turned to minimalism and simpler living after spending years feeling stressed, overworked and buying too much stuff she did not need. I enjoy Emily’s blog and IG feed because she constantly reminds her readers of the importance of slowing down, saving money, and trying to reduce your environmental footprint by consuming less.

Let me start by saying that Sara is a Canadian, living in Hamilton, Ontario and working in Toronto! I love discovering Canadian ethical fashion bloggers as I am also from Canada. I actually spent some time in Sara’s area when I extensively traveled around South Western Ontario during my commodity buyer days. (yes…I bought corn, soybeans and wheat from farmers before ending up in the beauty industry). I love seeing Sara’s daily outfits (she posts religiously every single day) which showcase very comfortable, stylish pieces that can be worn interchangeably.

A post shared by Candice M Tay (@candicemtay) on May 1, 2019 at 5:18am PDT

Another awesome Canadian! Candice is a Toronto based blogger whose goal is to live minimally and sustainably in a more urban environment. She started documenting her daily outfits about a year ago and often does 5×5 or 30×30 outfit challenges which I find interesting to follow along. I find her feed oddly therapeutic and refreshing.

Tyler’s style is probably the one with which I identify the most. She wears a lot of neutral tops with jean bottoms. I love how her outfits are feminine, put-together, yet still casual. Being a San Francisco Bay Area native, she mastered the art of combining cute cardigans and sweaters with a summer outfit. Given that I will be moving to San Francisco at the end of the summer, I will be stocking her page to figure out how to dress in this “always bring a sweater with you” weather.

A post shared by a b o l a j i (@abolajiooo) on Jul 2, 2019 at 3:45pm PDT

Abolajiooo’s IG page is so unique in the world of capsule wardrobes as most of her outfits are her own creations! She sews and knits her clothes. Take a peak at her latest posts where she shows how she planned out her fall wardrobe, by sketching out all the designs, using up her current stash of fabrics and sourcing a few new ones.

Karin is a mom to three girls (1 + twins) and has another baby on the way. She started having a capsule wardrobe when her first girl was a few months old. Finding a rigid four season capsule wardrobe to be too restrictive she recently transitioned to a loose year long capsule wardrobe model. I love Karin’s focus on mindful motherhood and mindful style. Karin compiled one of the most exhaustive ethical brands shopping list I have found so far in this blog post.

Mary’s dream was to have a “perfect wardrobe” without any fast fashion brands or wasted money purchases. I think we can all relate to the desire to have a wardrobe that has only pieces that spark joy and never have the feeling that we have nothing to wear. Through her blog and IG page, Mary teaches us how to make this dream wardrobe come to life, while saving money and defining our personal style. I found this blog post particularly useful on Mary’s favorite ethical brands which include Tradlands, ode to sunday, Nisolo shoes, Equal Uprise, and Everlane.

Want to build a second-hand sustainable wardrobe and look absolutely amazing? Jess’ blog and Instagram are good sources of inspiration. She is 5″2 and describes her style as having a “bohemian minimalist” vibe. She loves silhouettes of the 70’s but in neutral tones. Check out her latest blog post 5 VEGAN FRIENDLY SHOES (THAT ARE ACTUALLY CUTE!)

Paty’s moto is that a minimalist wardrobe does not have to come in all neutral shades. If you are looking to scale back your wardrobe, while keeping it fun and colorful, I recommend you take a peak at Paty’s page. Paty also does some fun challenges with her audience, such as a 2 month no shopping challenge she invited her followers to participate in. Paty’s account is one where you can feel a sense of community and engage with like-minded people.